Notes:
I watched AK in Noelle and this idea was born.
Thank you to G, per usual. :)
Work Text:
Beca Mitchell rolled from her right side to her left after waking up. She was trying to press against the other body that was laying in her bed without waking them. Popping one eye open she smiled as she saw the sleeping form of one Chloe Beale next to her. She looked like an angel with a red halo around her in the early morning light.
Beca was never a morning person but laying in bed with her girlfriend of about eighteen months made it a lot easier to handle the fact she was awake at eight in the morning for … some reason. She wasn't sure what woke her up but now that she was, she couldn't help just taking in the sight of Chloe wrapped in her blankets.
Two years ago when she broke up with Jesse after dating turned out to be a bad idea on both sides, Chloe had been the one there supporting her. After a few months of healing and figuring out what she wanted, Beca figured out what she wanted really was Chloe. Chloe, who was still around working on her masters and after Aubrey managed to find a loophole, was allowed to stay in the Bellas while she did.
Beca reached a hand out and brushed a bit of hair from Chloe's cheek. She hated to see Chloe's eyes open - she didn't mean to wake her - but the sleep soft smile she saw from Chloe melted her heart a bit. She really was in love. Even Beca 'effing Mitchell couldn't hide from love.
"Good morning." Chloe spoke with a sleepy voice.
"Sorry I woke you." Beca whispered. "Go back to sleep. I don't know why I'm awake this early."
"Cuddle with me?" Chloe turned to her side so she could wrap Beca up in her arms.
"Don't have to ask me twice." Beca was glad to have Chloe's arms around her as she fit herself in between them.
Chloe rested her head against Beca's as the pair soaked in the feeling of their sleep warmed skin against the others. After they had sex the night before neither thought of putting anything on as they fell to sleep holding hands. It was something that happened often now that the pair of them were sharing a room. Something they hadn't done during Beca's junior year but once this semester started felt like they were ready for.
"You know Christmas is only like six weeks away." Chloe whispered as the pair soaked in each other. "We are staying here for Thanksgiving but we both usually go home for Christmas."
The mention of Christmas put Beca on edge like it always did. She could see where this was going and already she was trying to push down the panic at the thought of having to come up with a lie about why she couldn't go home with Chloe and couldn't ask Chloe to go home with her.
"I am really excited for our Thanksgiving plans. Having most of the Bellas around, Aubrey coming in too, it is going to be really great." Beca pressed her face against Chloe's chest to try and keep herself calm.
Before Chloe could push the idea of Christmas again, Beca's phone went off.
"Shit." Beca groaned. "That's Grace's ringtone." She had a unique ringtone for her older sister Grace, younger brother Tommy, her parents had the same and Chloe had her own as well.
Chloe handed the phone out, giving Beca a bit of space on the bed to take the call. She could count the number of calls she had witnessed between the sisters on one hand in the three plus years she knew Beca.
"Hey Grace."
"What?"
"What happened?"
"Oh my God."
"Is someone with Mom?"
"No, no I'll be there as soon as I can be."
"No, it's fine Grace. Yeah. I know what needs to happen."
"Alright. I love you."
The phone call hadn't even lasted sixty seconds but it turned Beca's world upside down. Her father had been in an accident and … well there were plans to now make for his service. And what would happen with the family business.
"Beca?" Chloe reached a hand out.
"My dad died. There was an accident when he was … he fell into some water and he couldn't get out. No one was with him. And when someone went looking for him they just found …" Beca shook her head as the words Grace said to her threatened to break her in half. "I need to go home."
"Let me look up flights for Seattle." Chloe was already getting out of bed.
Beca looked up from the bed where she pulled her knees up to her chest. She had tears that she was fighting back in her eyes, tears for the man she had been so close to as a child but had drifted from as she rebelled against her family life.
"Not Seattle." Beca whispered. "Our real home."
She couldn't tell Chloe the truth but she also felt so numb that the words just flowed out. "My father is important, was important, because he had a title. The title that has been passed down in my family for hundreds and thousands of years. He's the Santa Claus. He was. And now Grace will be. Or Tommy. But not me. It won't be me but I have to go and put my hand on the orb and make sure. And then I can come back here and just be Beca Mitchell again."
Chloe looked at Beca like she grew a second head.
Beca shook her head. "My family is magical. It's all real Chloe. Santa, elves, the North Pole. It's all real and I'm Santa's daughter. And when the prior Santa dies one of their kids can be the next. We all have a bit of the gift but one of us all has the most. So we all have to be there to see who the Christmas spirit picks."
Chloe slowly moved to the bed, sitting and putting her hand on Beca's knee. "Honey, I know your father just passed away but you're not making any sense."
Beca breathed out before starting two thousand years ago. She told Chloe about the gift given to her family, how it was passed down, the village she spent three months in every year, how she could tell who was a good person or not, how she always was a perfect gift giver. All of it. She didn't leave out any detail she thought mattered in trying to get Chloe to understand this wasn't something she was doing because of a nervous breakdown.
"It's why I haven't brought you home or why I didn't want to take you there for Christmas. I couldn't share it with you but my dad just died and I am kind of freaking out. And I just need my girlfriend to go home with me and hold my hand. Please believe, please." Beca looked into Chloe's eyes.
Chloe knew it was all crazy sounding. All of it. Every last bit. But the look in Beca's eyes made her unable to just shake it off. "I will go home with you and hold your hand. If this is real then I'll see it then. I trust you." She leaned in and kissed her girlfriend's cheek. "I love you, Beca."
Beca grabbed her phone again and sent a text off before reading the reply. "We'll go to the airport at noon and there will be a flight for us. It'll take us to Seattle and then from there we'll take a private flight to the North Pole."
Chloe looked at the time and nodded. "We should leave here about ten to get to the airport and through security." She was still unsure about all of this but Beca needed her so she'd be there for her.
Beca pulled Chloe up on the bed and on top of her. She rested under her, just pressing her face against Chloe's shoulder. She felt some tears falling but she couldn't stop them.
"Give me ten and then we can get ready, just ten minutes to miss my daddy." Beca begged.
"You are going to miss him for a long time." Chloe stroked over Beca's side. "But for the next ten minutes nothing else matters. We have nowhere to be and I'll be right here." She whispered.
"Thank you." Beca started to really cry now that she was given permission to. The idea that she would never see her dad again, that she would never hear his laugh or hear him tell a story, it all felt like a crushing weight on her chest.
"I remember being a little girl and sitting on the floor with Gracie and Tommy. Dad would tell us stories about his travels. He would make it feel so magical, like everything in the world was good and right because people believed." Beca whispered against Chloe's shoulder. "Then we all got older and I loved music so much. And he supported that but he didn't understand. He tried but he didn't. And I was a brat. So often. I just wanted to have a normal family. I didn't even tell him I loved him the last time we spoke."
Chloe nuzzled at Beca's neck as she tried to make sure that her girlfriend felt the love she had for her. She didn't want Beca to feel alone or untethered. "He knew Beca. He knew you loved him. He knew it even if you didn't say it or if the two of you didn't always understand each other."
"You think?" Beca whispered.
"I know he did. Because when you love someone you love them with your whole heart. Even when they hurt you. You love them completely and you show them in so many little ways even if you don't say the words. Your dad knew you loved him, he knew and he was proud of you. I know that as much as I know I love you and I'm proud of you." Chloe pulled back just a little to look into Beca's storm blue eyes.
"Thank you." Beca's left hand lifted to wipe at her wet eyes. "We should get ready so we can get to the airport." She whispered but made no move to move Chloe. "How do we live in charge of the Bellas?"
"Jess and Ashley?" Chloe suggested. "They know how to run a practice."
"Good idea." Beca agreed as she kissed Chloe's shoulder where her face had been pressed. "Thank you for coming home with me even if all of this is really weird."
"Family is always weird." Chloe whispered. "But you and I are family too." She promised with a soft kiss to Beca's cheek.
"I want you to be my family." Beca cupped Chloe's cheek so she could tilt their heads into a very soft kiss.
Chloe rested their foreheads together for a moment before she finally got off of the bed. "Let's pack bags and then we can go shower and head to the airport." She frowned after a moment. "What do you wear at the North Pole?"
Beca couldn't help but snort. "The village has magic that helps keep us all warm even if there is snow everywhere. So what you normally wear here - jeans and sweaters and a jacket - will work. And if there is something you're missing you can get it there since there are shops and stuff."
"There are shops, just like normal shops?" Chloe asked.
"Not like LL Bean. Local stuff. Some of the elves run them. Not every single elf works in the gift shops. Some of them run the different shops, some of them take care of the deer, some of them work for my parents - er mom now I guess." Beca moved off of the bed as she started to grab clothes to pack. The ones she went for were more colorful than the darker colors she usually wore.
Chloe started to pull things out, wanting to take her nicest stuff with them. "Meeting your family - this isn't how I thought I'd do it but I am glad I'll be with you for this. I want to be with you to hold your hand and support you."
"I wasn't sure how to have you meet them." Beca admitted as she put her things and what Chloe got out in a suitcase. "If I brought you to Seattle and had you meet Warren and Helen Mitchell it would have felt like I was lying the whole time. If I told you this any other day you'd get Aubrey here with her shotgun to take me to the nut house."
Chloe laughed softly despite the heavy subject. "I'm glad I'm meeting them even still."
Beca finished packing them before she grabbed jeans and a red sweater to wear. It was something her mother wouldn't chide her over and something that wouldn't need to be changed when she got there.
Putting on her robe she looked over at Chloe. "Take a shower with me? I don't want to be alone even if it's silly to want emotional support in the shower."
"It's not silly." Chloe grabbed her own robe. "I'll take a shower with you, wash your hair for you and make sure that you aren't alone."
Beca leaned up, kissing the corner of Chloe's mouth. "Thank you."
Chloe just wrapped her arms around Beca to hold her still. "Anytime."
—
The North Pole was protected by some of the very oldest magic. A village of nearly 5,000 elves, 300 reindeer, a few humans that had managed to make the North Pole their home and the Mitchell family from the start of November to the end of January.
As the plane that would take Beca and Chloe to the place where Beca was born, the middle Mitchell child couldn't help but think of her father.
"He was a repair man." Beca whispered as she looked at the fogged up plane window. "When he wasn't being Santa. He had a repair shop so people would bring him anything and he'd fix it for them. He loved working with his hands and finding out why something wasn't working."
"You're like that with music. You like taking things apart and figuring out how to put them back together." Chloe held Beca's hand.
"I used to work at the spot in high school for some money to buy music stuff. Sometimes people would sell him stuff now and then. Most of the stuff he would use for parts but some he would sell if it was in good condition." Beca said. "Just before my senior year someone sold him a bunch of mixing equipment that was still in really good shape. He let me work there that summer to pay for it all, I still have most of it."
Chloe smiled at the story. "It sounds like he wanted you to have the equipment but wanted you to work for it."
Beca nodded as her head rested on Chloe's shoulder.
"I wish I didn't push so hard against our family." Beca's voice was soft.
Chloe turned her head to press a kiss against the crown of Beca's head. There was nothing she really could do to make Beca feel better so she settled for just being there for her girlfriend as best as she could.
"We'll be landing soon." Beca looked out to see the faint lights of the North Pole in the distance.
"How can you tell?" When Chloe looked out she just saw darkness.
"Once you've been to the North Pole you'll be able to see the lights." Beca explained.
Soon the plane touched down on the small runway that served as the way in and out of the North Pole that wasn't magic related. There was always the way that Santa left but the idea of that brought pain to Beca that she just couldn't handle right now.
"Princess." An elf stepped forward with a two reindeer pulled sleigh behind him. "Mrs. Claus, your brother and sister are waiting for you."
"Thank you Pepper." Beca held on to Chloe's hand as they walked over to the sleigh. "Here." She helped Chloe up after getting herself inside. She wrapped a blanket around their legs as the elf started them toward the large log cabin that was on a hill overlooking the village.
"It's real." Chloe whispered as she watched the shops and elves - who looked human outside of their shorter stature and pointed ears - wiz past. "It's all real."
"That's the Peppermint Castle." Beca pointed out. "Dad would take me there a few nights before Christmas for my favorite hot chocolate and some cookies. And there is Mrs Sugarplum's dress shop where we always got our Christmas outfits." She felt a little magic at being back here even if it was for one of the saddest reasons.
"This is amazing." Chloe turned to face Beca.
"It's home." Beca whispered with the smallest smile.
Soon enough they were outside the log cabin that was decked out in white Christmas lights. Beca helped Chloe down before taking her hand firmly.
"I didn't want you to meet my family like this but I'm glad that you get to meet them." Beca gave her a soft smile before leaning up for a quick kiss. "Come on."
Grace Mitchell, who shared her sister's short stature and dark hair, opened the door wearing a red and green outfit that fit Chloe's idea of what someone who lived at the North Pole might wear.
"Hey, Beca."
Grace and Beca shared a short hug before Beca pulled back. The sisters got along well enough but they had never been overly close. Grace bought into the idea one day she could be Santa Claus and wanted to train as best she could. Beca just wanted music.
"Are Mom and Tommy inside?" Beca asked.
"In the living room." Grace nodded before looking at Chloe.
"Oh. Grace this is Chloe Beale, Chloe this is my older sister Grace." Beca shifted to let Chloe and Grace near each other.
"Beca has mentioned you. I'm glad we're able to finally meet." Grace held her hand to shake.
"I couldn't let her handle all of this alone." Chloe said.
The three women soon joined Helen Mitchell and Tommy in the living room. A large fire keeping the room warm as Tommy had his arm wrapped around his mother's shoulders.
"Hi Mom." Beca said as she stepped into the living room.
"Beca." Hellen looked up at her daughter. "Oh honey, you made it." She moved from the couch to wrap her daughter, a few inches shorter than herself, into a tight hug.
"Of course I did." Beca hugged her beck tightly.
"Hey." Tommy, the tallest Mitchell, stood and gave his older sister a half smile. "Hope this didn't mess things up for you. Grace and I were already here so …" He shrugged.
"I had school." Beca reminded him before leaning up to hug him.
"Right." Tommy nodded.
"Oh Mom." Beca turned back after hugging Tommy. "This is my girlfriend, Chloe Beale. Chloe this is my mom, Helen Mitchell."
"It's nice to meet you, ma'am." Chloe stepped forward. "I'm sorry for your loss but it's nice to meet you."
"Thank you." Helen had a kind smile as she took the younger woman's hand. "Beca has been talking about you for years. I'm glad to put a person to the name. And 24 years in a row on the "nice" list helps too."
"Mom!" Beca blushed. "You said you didn't look Chloe up."
"Oh of course I did dear. I looked up all your friends." Helen laughed just a little. "All good to go, though that Stacie Conrad likes to flirt with being on the naughty list."
Beca and Chloe both laughed just a little bit.
"Sounds like Stace." Beca agreed.
Grave hated to bring it up with Beca just returning but she knew they had to. It had to be done and done tonight as they needed to know who the next Santa Claus would be with so few weeks to have the next Santa ready for Christmas.
"The Elf High Council is meeting soon. We all have to be there, Bec."
Beca closed her eyes as she felt a shiver go through her. "They wouldn't wait for the service?"
"That will be in three days. They don't have that kind of time with Christmas so close. The next Santa Claus needs to be named so they can prepare." Tommy said. He was sure it would be him and if not him then Grace. They had spent the most time preparing for it.
"We should head down. We're walking and not taking the sleigh." Helen signed.
Her husband of thirty years was gone but she wasn't allowed to mourn him until one of her children took over his title. Sure she could miss him but to mourn him? To give up her duties for a day or two and just lay there wishing for him to be back? There wasn't time. She would be Mrs. Claus for a little while longer now.
Beca turned to Chloe. "If you want to stay here you can. Go to my room and rest."
"Beca, I want to be there for you." Chloe whispered. "Where you go, I go. As long as you're cool with it."
"Thank you." Beca kissed her softly.
—
The Elf High Council oversaw the North Pole, handled the laws and made sure order was kept when Santa wasn't there to oversee it.
In the center of the room was a large crystal orb on the ornately carved pedestal. Inside the very spirit of Christmas would designate one of them to take over the title of Santa Claus.
As many elves as could fit were inside when the Mitchells and Chloe walked in. Helen and Chloe took seats as the three Micthell children moved to stand around the orb.
Beca was sure it wasn't her as her hand pressed to the orb. To her left Grace placed her palm against the orb while to her right Tommy did the same. The orb started to slowly fill with a nearly blinding white light. The light filled the orb completely before starting to swirl around and around as the three hands each gave the light a place to gather under.
But Beca was sure when the light - the spirit - had it's say that it wouldn't be picking her. She was the middle child. Close to her father when she was younger but growing farther from him as she grew into her own person. Not like Grace who knew the family lore or Tommy who could hitch the sleigh up better than even the elves.
It wouldn't be her. She didn't have the gift inside of her that her father had or his father or his mother before him or so on and so on back to the very first Santa Claus. She had a gift for music and sure she could read people. But being the daughter of the Santa Claus, the sister of the Santa Claus, would be her lot in life. Happily her lot.
The light slowed as it made its choice.
Binding.
Unchangeable.
The light gathered unquestionably under Beca's hand.
"No." Beca whispered as tears gathered in her eyes. "No, that can't be right."
The gathered family and elves all gasped. No one had turned this down. No one could turn this down.
Beca's body already started to glow as the powers that had been inside of her since birth started to come alive.
"I can't. I don't want to. I can't." Beca's body shook even as her hand stayed on the orb. "Daddy, he knew what he was doing. And Grace, you would be so good at all of it. Or you Tommy. But not me. I'm the asshole of the family. Not me. I don't know how to do this."
All of the sudden Beca felt warms around her waist, keeping her from being able to fall over. Chloe's arms. The arms of someone who had believed her when she told her she was born at the north pole, when she told her that her father had the title of Santa Claus bestowed on him by his father and one of his kids would have it now too when she showed her elves and magic and the impossible. Chloe was holding her up when all Beca wanted to do was fall.
"You can do this." Chloe whispered. "Beca Mitchell, you can do this. You are your father's daughter. It feels like magic and Christmas morning every time you kiss me. I didn't have the words for it before this trip but I do now. And now I know just how special you are. You're Santa Claus. You are Beca. And I promise to be there for you as much as you'll have me."
Beca felt Chloe rest her forehead against her shoulder and the tears just fell faster. "I can't do this without you, Chlo. I don't even know if I can do this with you."
"You can do it without me but you don't have to. You don't have to do it without me, not at all." Chloe held her a little tighter.
Beca brought her hand up to wipe her tears away as she allowed herself to accept what the Christmas Spirit decided.
"You'll be great." Grace whispered with a kind smile. "Santa."
"Yeah Santa, you'll be great." Tommy said as he tried not to look disappointed.
"Thanks." Beca gave them both a small smile before turning to the others as Chloe switched from holding her up to holding her hand.
"I swear myself to the spirit of Christmas for as long as my days shall last." Beca repeated the fifteen words that made up the most important oath in this world.
—
The thing about becoming Santa Claus was that some things would now be hers by right.
Including her parents bedroom.
By the time the family got back to the house - her house now - the bedrooms had been changed around. Helen moved to the dowager Claus room while Beca's things were moved to the master bedroom.
"How am I going to do this?" Beca asked when she felt Chloe's arms around her.
"Like you do anything. Jump in and figure it out as you go." Chloe rested her head on Beca's shoulder as they looked out over the North Pole village.
Beca turned and held on to the woman she loved. "So." She whispered, her voice a bare whisper. "There is a title that is mine to give away. Mrs. Claus. It's a title not just something that happens to be given to Santa's partner. It's Santa's to do what they want with." She looked into Chloe's eyes. "I can't do this alone."
Chloe felt her chest flush warm. "Beca, are you asking me … what are you asking me?"
Beca looked into Chloe's eyes. "There is a ring back in Georgia I was going to give you when we finished Barden. But I can't wait. I want you to be my everything."
Chloe felt her heart in her chest beating like crazy. "Yes."
This was what she wanted. Beca and her were such a perfect pair. There was no way she could turn down her girlfriend asking her to be her this.
"Really?" Beca felt tears in her eyes. "I know this is all soon and I know it's rushed but I love you. I wouldn't ask if I didn't already want this no matter how scared I am. You're it for me Beale."
Chloe rested their foreheads together as the pair held close to each other. "I love you, Santa."
Beca felt a blush cheek up her cheeks. "I promise I won't jiggle like a bowl full of jelly."
Chloe snorted. "I'd love you either way."
Beca gave a soft smile at the way Chloe saying that always warmed her. "How about we go take a hot bubble bath and then get some sleep? Just because I'm Santa doesn't mean Mom will let me sleep in."
"Even Santa has to listen to her mom." Chloe nodded as they walked into the large bathroom.
Beca turned on the tap for the extra large tub before she started to undress. This felt kinda normal, getting ready to take a hot bath with the woman she loved. Even if they just got engaged. Something that made Beca's chest puff out with a bit of pride.
"I can't believe I'm going to marry Santa." Chloe giggled as she got into the hot water.
Beca couldn't help the giggle that came out as she joined her in the oversize tub. "I can't believe I'm going to be Santa. My whole life I assumed it would be Grace, maybe Tommy. But never did I think it would be me."
Beca moved so her back was pressed to Chloe's front as the pair enjoyed the bubble bath. The water was the perfect temperature and the bubbles smelled like mint.
"You are special, Beca." Chloe kissed her temple as she let the bath warm her. "Anyone who knew you could see that. I wish you could see you like I do."
Beca hummed softly as she trailed a hand over Chloe's knee under the water. "I just want to make everyone proud." She admitted. "The Bellas back at Barden, my family and the elves here. You in both places."
"I'm proud of you. So proud." Chloe whispered.
"Are you?"
"I am."
The two simple words meant everything to Beca.
"This won't be our whole lives." Beca made sure that Chloe knew that. "From February to October we're able to be pretty normal. And a little magic the other months allows us to go MIA without questions."
"So we'll be able to be up here without anyone questioning it?" Chloe asked.
"Yup. Dad always was here November first, Mom would come with us after Thanksgiving." Beca closed her eyes at the feeling of the warm water and Chloe wrapped around her.
"So every year I get to spend my holidays in the most magical place on earth with Santa?" Chloe asked with a grin. "Can the Bellas come?"
"No." Beca said before pausing. "Well, I guess yes. I am Santa and I can decide who knows. But maybe not all of them. Fat Amy would never be able to stop herself telling everyone."
"Good point. So just Aubrey and Stacie. And Emily. She would be so excited." Chloe grinned at the thought.
"She would be." Beca laughed.
Once they were out of the water and dried off, soft and warm PJs left out for them by the elves, then slid into the bed meant for Santa.
"It's weird." Beca whispered. "Sleeping in Santa's bed, knowing that it should be Dad's still."
Chloe stroked her back as they cuddled. "I'm sorry I never got to meet him."
Beca cuddled a little closer. "He knew you. When I said your name, but he knew everyone. He said that you were kind and honest and if I allowed it you would make me as happy as Mom made him." She admitted.
Chloe felt a bit of pride that she had Santa's blessing. "I always did like Santa." She whispered as the pair both shut their eyes.
—
Time seemed to pass in a blush. When you laid your father to rest Beca thought that might be your mind's way of protecting you. Between his service and her having to take his duties over she felt like she blinked and it was two days until Christmas.
Beca rubbed her eyes as she sat at her father's desk - well her desk now - and tried to read over the reports on the status of the gifts for Christmas. What she wouldn't give for some help from someone who knew how to get people in line. It was one thing to lead the Bellas but it was another to know how to lead the North Pole.
"Need some help?" Aubrey asked from the doorway.
"Aubrey?" Beca rubbed her eyes like she had been dreaming.
"Naturally. Chloe mentioned you two were somehow getting married. Didn't think I'd miss that, did you?" Aubrey raised an eyebrow.
"How did you get here?" Beca came around her desk to give the former captain a hug.
"An elf showed up at my apartment when Emily and Stacie were over working on some science tutoring Stacie has been doing for Emily. They said Chloe sent them and hit us each with a little magic peppermint powder. We all got on a plane and the next thing I know my girlfriend and Emily are playing in the snow and Chloe is dressed like Mrs. Claus." Aubrey explained as she hugged back.
"I could use some of your organizational skills right now." Beca admitted as she brought Aubrey over to her desk.
Aubrey looked at everything but she started to make piles to help Beca. She knew how to run an operation thanks to the lodge. Despite the scope, this all felt right in her wheelhouse. The pair started to get to work as Aubrey overway the organization and Beca read over and approved everything.
"You know." Beca grinned. "If you want a job as Santa's little helper I could use your skills for Christmas every year."
"Seriously?" Aubrey looked at Beca.
"You know how to organize this stuff well and I really like working with you. When I'm the boss." Beca grinned.
"Alright." Aubrey agreed with a wide smile. "I'll help you, but I really want to meet the reindeer as part of me agreeing."
Beca laughed, the reindeer were pretty awesome. "Come on, you can meet Dasher and the rest. I want to see the first years anyway and see how they are doing."
Aubrey and Beca headed outside and down the hill toward where the deer were housed. There were a few large barns that were heated and well stocked with food and soft bedding. Tommy oversaw them, thankful that Beca allowed him to stay useful.
"Snowcone, you're getting so big." Beca bent down to pet the one year old reindeer that she had helped her father deliver during a snowstorm.
The little deer almost beamed at her as she allowed her to fluff her fur. She wanted to lead the sled one day but knew she needed to grow bigger before she could.
"Aubrey, this is Snowcone. Snowcone this is my friend Aubrey." Beca smiled when Aubrey bent down next to her.
The little deer sniffed Aubrey's outstretched hand before pressing her head against it with a happy snort.
"She likes you." Beca smiled before the pair stood up.
"She's really cute. They all are." Aubrey and Beca walked over to one of the fences to watch the reindeer play their reindeer games.
"Hey!" Chloe called as she, Stacie and Emily walked over. Emily was nearly vibrating in excitement with where she was and what she was seeing.
"Beca! This is amazing. You're Santa! We're at the North Pole! Oh My Stars!" Emily was nearly jumping up and down.
Beca reached out to put her hand on Emily's arm to try and calm her down. "It's okay dude, I know it's all pretty cool but take a breath before you make yourself pass out."
Emily held her breath for a second to try and calm herself down before putting her hands out. "I'm cool, I'm cool cool cool. Santa." She got a grin back on her face.
Beca just chuckled.
"So um." Emily leaned in. "If I don't sit on your lap can I still tell you what I want for Christmas?"
Stacie was about to say something when Aubrey put her hand over Stacie's mouth. "I want to try and keep you off the naughty list."
"I thought me being on the naughty list is why you were dating me?" Stacie asked when Aubrey moved her hand.
"Beca won't put you on the naughty list for that. I mean I hope not since I would be pretty close to the naughty list." Chloe laughed.
"No comment so I don't go on the naughty list." Beca blushed as she reached to take Chloe's hand.
"I hear there is a wedding that is happening on Christmas Eve?" Stacie raised an eyebrow at Beca.
"Yup, at sundown Chloe and I are going to tie the knot. Then she is going to be the Mrs. Claus to my Santa." Beca smiled proudly at her future wife. "Then we're going to get in my sleigh and head out to give gifts to the good little boys and girls of the world."
"Mrs. Claus rides in the sleigh with Santa?" Emily asked.
"When Santa wants." Beca said. "Pretty much I can do what I want as long as I give out the gifts and stuff. Spread the Christmas spirit around to the world."
"And I'm pretty sure Beca asked for Chloe for Christmas." Stacie smirked.
Beca blushed. "That's not totally incorrect."
"I was hoping you'd be my maid of honor?" Chloe gave Aubrey a grin.
"Of course I will." Aubrey beamed back.
"Stacie?" Beca looked nervous. "Would you be mine?" She could ask Grace but the idea that Stacie stood up with her felt more right than the siblings who she spent so little time with as an adult.
"Of course, B." Stacie reached out to take her hand a moment.
"You can be the flower girl, Legacy." Beca winked. "With Snowcone."
Emily nearly knocked Beca over at the force of the hug. "Thank you Beca." She lifted her up, swinging her around as she hugged her.
"Put me down, Legacy." Beca laughed. "I might not leave you anything for Christmas if you don't."
Emily almost dropped Beca before putting her on her feet and stepping back with a wide look of fear on her face.
"Be nice to Emily, Beca." Chloe leaned over to kiss her cheek.
"Yes, dear." Beca turned her head so Chloe kissed her lips not her cheek.
"Good to know Santa is whipped." Stacie said to Aubrey.
"I heard that." Beca glared at her.
"Yeah, I figured." Stacie smirked.
"The naughty list can happen, Conrad." Beca threatened.
"Eh." Stacie grinned.
"Be nice to Beca." Aubrey rubbed over Stacie's back. "She has it tough being the shortest Santa in history."
Beca's jaw dropped as the others - even Chloe - let out a giggle.
—
Christmas Eve, Beca was getting ready in one of the spare rooms when she heard a knock on the door.
"Come in."
Helen walked in wearing the red and green robes that she always wore on Christmas Eve. She looked every bit the part of Mrs. Claus, even if in about an hour she would no longer be.
"When you were born I knew you would be special. I didn't know which of you would take your father's place in the world one day but I knew you'd have an important place." She walked over to her daughter, kissing Beca's cheek before hugging her tightly.
"Mom." Beca whispered, feeling a swell of emotion.
"He would have been so proud to see you like this." Helen pulled back to look at Beca in the Santa robes that had been tailored to fit. "He tried, Beca. He tried to be there for you even if he had to be up here too. He wanted all three of you to have good lives."
"I miss him." Beca admitted as she looked up at her mother. "I thought we'd all have more time. I figured next Christmas I'd tell Chloe and maybe the year after I'd bring her up here…"
"She is going to make such a wonderful partner to you." Helen wiped her eyes.
"She already is. She's going to make the best wife and Mrs. Claus I could ask for." Beca said with more than just a hint of pride.
"Grace and Tommy are proud of you too. And thank you for letting Tommy be in charge of the reindeer. I know the two of you don't always see eye to eye." Helen held Beca's hands.
"He is good at it. And he's not so bad for a kid brother." Beca tried not to shrug.
"Grace will be good at overseeing the workshops. She knows the elves and you and she can speak once a week when you get your updates." Helen tucked a bit of hair behind Beca's ear.
"What will you do?" Beca asked.
"Oh, I think I'll travel some. Maybe spend some time back in Seattle." Helen's eyes shined with unshed tears. "He was a good man, your father. Outside of being Santa. He was a good man and he was the best partner I could have asked for. It will take me a bit time to really get up from losing him."
"I wish he were here." Beca whispered.
"Me too." Helen hugged Beca again.
Outside in the middle of a snow covered field, the Mitchell family, Aubrey, Stacie, Emily and Snowcone gathered. There would be no person marrying Beca and Chloe together, it would be done through the magic that Beca now possessed.
Standing with their family in a semi circle around them, Beca and Chloe held hands as they looked into each other's eyes.
"I love you." Chloe started. "From the moment I saw you in the quad I thought you may change my life. I had had no idea how right that thought was." She let out a small laugh as she and Beca held both of the other's hands. "We have lived together and loved together and sung together for the last four years. I know how you take your coffee and how you look right before you have hit your limits and need me to cuddle you and rub your back. I promise I will be there for you, steady and excitable and loving. Because I choose you, Beca Mitchell. No matter what your winter job is."
Beca used her left hand to wipe her eyes before holding Chloe's hand in hers. "When I was a little kid I would watch my dad get dressed up in his Santa Suit and walk with my Mom all dressed up in her formal robes to the sleigh. And I dreamed of what it would feel like to have the most beautiful woman on my arm if I was Santa. Now I don't have to dream anymore. Because I found the person that makes me feel like every day is Christmas and I found myself right on the top of the nice list. You're my best friend, you're my duet partner and you're my Mrs. Claus. I love you, Chloe Beale. Thank you for doing life with me."
Aubrey and Stacie stepped forward, handing Chloe and Beca rings they slid on to each other's fingers. A golden light came from the setting sun straight for them. They wrapped each other up as a golden light swirled around them. The kiss they shared was short but the light wrapped them up and seemingly disappeared into the rings they both wore.
"Well." Beca looked up at Chloe. "Looks like you can't get rid of me now."
"Aca-awesome." Chloe bent down to kiss Beca again. "Come on Santa, we have a sleigh ride to take."
Beca beamed as Chloe tugged her toward the sleigh, Snowcone leading the way with as much excitement as any of them. Maybe this Santa thing wasn't so bad after all.